Structured Status Inequality
CIVILIZATION
SOCIETY
Culture is to society what society is to
civilization
SOCIETY
CULTURE
Structured Status Inequality
SOCIETY
CULTURE
Social relations are to culture what
institutional structure is to society
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE
SOCIAL INTERACTION
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
SOCIETY IS A “HIERARCHY” OF GROUPS.
INDIVIDUALS ARE POSITIONED AT VARIOUS LEVELS
IN THE HIERARCHY – THAT IS, “SOCIAL STRATIFIED” –
DEPENDING ON THERE MEMBERSIP IN GROUPS.
BECAUSE SOCIETY IS HEIRARCHICAL IT IS
CHARACTERIZED BY DIFFERENTIAL POWER AND
STATUS.
BECAUSE GROUPS HAVE DIFFERENTIAL POWER AND
STATUS THEY ARE SOCIALLY UNEQUAL (THAT IS,
THEY STAND IN INEQUITABLE RELATIONS TO
SOCIETY’S RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES).
BECAUSE SOCIETAL GROUP RELATIONS ARE
UNEQUAL – THAT IS, CHARACTERIZED BY
“STRUCTURED SOCIAL INEQUALITY” –
SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCHERS EXAMINE SOCIETY AS
A STUDY IN DOMINANT AND SUBDOMINANT
INTERACTION.
The Triangulation Of Culture, Ideology And Power
In “Social Interaction”
POWER
CULTURE
IDEOLOGY
Society’s Social Stratification System
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN CULTURE, POWER AND
IDEOLOGY IS THE BASIS FOR “SOCIAL STRATIFICATION”
(POSITION, RANK, LAYER, PECKING ORDER ) IN SOCIETY
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CULTURE == CREATES SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
(“JOCKEYING FOR POSITION”) IN AND THROUGH THE
CONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL REALITY.
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POWER == MAINTAINS SOCIAL STRATIFICATION BE
ENFORCING AN CONSISTENT GROUP “PECKING ORDER”.
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IDEOLOGY == CULTURAL BELIEFS THAT SERVE TO JUSTIFY
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION.
Society’s Social Stratification System
SOCIAL RANKING IN SOCIETY IS AN EXTENSION OF CULTURAL GROUP
INTERACTION, EMBEDDED AND ENFORCED BY POWER, AND JUSTIFIED
BY IDEOLOGY.
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CULTURE – [1] IS ESSENTIAL FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL SURVIVAL
{CONTRIBUTE TO HUMAN SOCIAL AND PHYSICAL SURVIVAL}; [2] IT
PROVIDES THE RULES THAT GUIDE HUMAN BEHAVIOR {NORMS ==
“NORMATIVE SYSTEMS”} == IT ACCOUNTS FOR PATTERN
REGULARITIES OF THOUGHT AND IDEAS {BELIEFS == “BELIEF
SYSTEMS”}, [3] PROVIDES A STANDARD FOR RIGHT OR WRONG
{VALUES == “VALUE SYSTEMS”}
POWER – IS THE ABILITY TO MAKE OTHERS DO WHAT YOU WISH THEM
TO DO, WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT == A SYSTEM OF
DOMINATION== [1] THROUGH THE EXERCISE OF PHYSICAL COERCION;
AND [2] TROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION OF IDEOLOGIES]]]
IDEOLOGY – A COMPLEX OF IDEAS THAT ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN,
JUSTIFY, LEGITIMIZE, AND PERPETUATE A SPECIFIC SET OF
CIRCUMSTANCES == IDEAS AND VALUES THAT REINFORCE THE
INTERESTS OF THE DOMINANT GROUP WHILE UNDERMINING THE
INTEREST OF SUBORDINATE GROUPS]]]
The Triangulation Of Social Organization, The State And Politics
At The “Institutional Level”
POLITICS
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
THE STATE
Superimposed Grids:
When Social Relations Are Institutionalized
POWER === POLITICAL ECONOMY
CULTURE ==
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS
IDEOLOGY ==
THE STATE
The Vertical Mosaic:
Society’s System of Graduated Privilege
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS,
POLITICS AND THE STATE IS THE BASIS FOR THE
HIERARCHICAL INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY

SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS == CREATE AND CONSTITUTE THE
INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY.

POLITICS {POLITICAL ECONOMY} == POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS
ARE CONCERNED WITH THE EXERCISE OF POWER, AND
CONTROL OF THE STRUCTURE OF SOCIETY (THROUGHT THE
CONTROL OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES AND THE
ECONOMY).

STATE == STATE INSTITUTIONS ARE THE MEANS THROUGH
WHICH THAT POWER AND CONTROL IS EXERCISED (THROUGH
THE FORMAL LAWS, PUBLIC POLICIES, DOMINANT VALUES).
Society’s Social Stratification System
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“STRATIFICATION” IS THE HIERARCHICAL
ARRANGEMENT OF SOCIAL STRATA IN A
SOCIETY.
EVERY SOCIETY CAN BE DIVIDED INTO LAYERS
OR HIERARCHIES THAT CAN BE RANKED
ACCORDING TO CERTAIN CRITERIA IN
ASCENDING OR DESCENDING ORDER. THIS
SUGGESTS THAT INEQUALITY IS NOT RANDOM
OR FLEETING, BUT IS PATTERNED AND
PREDICTABLE AND TENDS TO CLUSTER AROUND
CERTAIN DEVALUED CATEGORIES RELATED TO
RACE OR ETHNICITY, CLASS AND GENDER.
Graduated Privilege
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A)
B)
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION - A HIERARCHY OF POSITIONS THAT
HAVE UNEQUAL PROPERTY, POWER AND PRESTIGE (3PS).
ALL SOCIOLOGISTS AGREE – THAT SOCIETY IS A STRATIFICATON
SYSTEM BASED ON A HIERARCHY OF PROPERTY, POWER AND
PRESTIGE THAT IS MANIFESTED IN PATTERNS OF STRUCTURED
SOCIAL INEQUALITY.
ALL SOCIOLOGIST ALSO AGREE – THAT INEQUALITY IS ABOUT
ENTITLEMENTS: THAT IS, WHO GETS WHAT, HOW AND WHY?
ALL SOCIOLOGISTS DO NOT AGREE – ABOUT THE STATUS OF
SOCIAL INEQUALITY
SOME SEE SI AS “NATURAL AND INEVITABLE” – NOT ONLY
USEFUL BUT NECESSARY FOR ANY SOCIETY; A SYSTEM OF
DIFFERENTIAL REWARD IS ONE WAY OF GETTTING INDIVIDUALS
TO EXPEND EFFORT, TIME, AND RESOURCES IN ORDER TO
PERFORM NECESSARY ROLES IN SOCIETY.
OTHER SEE SI AS “ARBITRARY AND EXPLOITATIVE” – THE
"CONTEST FOR SUCCESS" IS RIGGED; MATERIAL REWARDS AND
INCENTIVE ARE NOT INDUCEMENTS TO PERFORM DIFFICULT
JOBS, THEY ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY ACQUIRED. TO THINK
OTHERWISE IS "FALSE CONSCIOUSNESS" GENERATED BY SPECIAL
INTERESTS.
The Two Measurements of Inequality in
Contemporary Society
MANY SOCIOLOGISTS HAVE COME TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO
MEASUREMENTS OF INEQUALITY IN CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY:
(A) INEQUALITY OF CONDITIONS =======>{ECONOMIC PRIVILEGE OR THE
MATERIAL DISTRIBUTION OF REWARDS}; AND/OR
(B) INEQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITIES ======> {“LIFE CHANCES” – REFLECTED
IN SUCH MEASURES AS THEIR LEVEL OF EDUCATION, HEALTH STATUS,
NUTRITION, AND TREATMENT BY THE JUSTICE SYSTEM}
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THE GROWING SOCIOLOGICAL PREMISE: WHEN WE CONSIDER THE
CONCEPT OF INEQUALITY IN TERMS OF THE ACCESS TO REWARDS AND
LIFE CHANCES, “STRUTURES OF INEQUALITY” CAN BE VIEWED AS A
COMPLEX PICTURE OF – THE LACK OF INSTITUTIONALIZED POWER,
DISCRIMINATORY BARRIERS, AND DENIAL OF OPPORTUNITY.

SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND INEQUALITY [ALSO A COMPLEX PICTURE
THAT] REFERS TO DOMINANT-SUBORDINATE INTERACTION:
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IN A STRATIFIED SOCIETY, A MINORITY GROUP IS NOT A GROUP THAT IS
NUMERICALLY OUTNUMBERED IN SOCIETY.
MAJORITY AND MINORITY GROUP RELATIONS ARE BASED ON POWER.
THEREFORE, A MINORITY IS ANY GROUP DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE OF A
LACK OF ACCESS TO WEALTH, POWER AND PRIVILEGE.
Dominant and Subdominant Interaction
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SOCIAL STRATIFICATION AND INEQUALITY REFERS TO DOMINANTSUBORDINATE INTERACTION
WHAT IS A DOMINANT GROUP? – THE COLLECTIVITY OF PERSONS IN
SOCIETY WITH BOTH POWER AND AUTHORITY TO PRESERVE AND
PROMOTE THE PREVAILING DISTRIBUTION OF PRIVILEGE IN
SOCIETY. THE DOMINANT SECTOR REPRESENTS THAT PART OF
SOCIETY WITH THE CAPACITY TO DEFINE ITSELF AND ITS
CULTURE AS THE STANDARD OR NORM BY WHICH OTHERS ARE
JUDGED AND EVALUATED.
[EX: PRACTICES ARE SUPERIOR, NECESSARY, INEVITABLE – JOB
INTERVIEW -- BURQUA, BRAIDS?]

WHAT IS A SUBDOMINANT GROUP? – ALSO CALLED SUBORDINATE,
SUBDOMINANT GROUPS STAND IN AN UNEQUAL RELATION TO
DOMINANT GROUPS, ALTHOUGH THIS INEQUALITY MAY BE
CONTESTED AND TRANSFORMED.
[EX: WOMEN'S GROUPS, CIVIL RIGHTS GROUPS, ORGANIZED
RESISTANCE]
Majority & Minority Relations
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IN A STRATIFIED SOCIETY, THE CONCEPT OF A MINORITY AND
MAJORITY GROUP DOES NOT REFER TO “NUMBERS” OR
“STATISTICAL PROPORTIONS” — BUT RATHER — TO “POWER
RELATIONS.”
THEREFORE, A MINORITY IS ANY GROUP DISADVANTAGED
BECAUSE OF A LACK OF ACCESS TO WEALTH, POWER AND
PRIVILEGE.
THE CONCEPT OF MINORITY GROUP REFERS TO ANY GROUP
— WHETHER BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY, OR GENDER —
THAT IS DISADVANTAGED, UNDERPRIVILEGED, OR
EXCLUDED, DISCRIMINATED, OR EXPLOITED
[SUBDOMINANT]. IT ALSO DESCRIBES A SOCIALLY DEFINED
CATEGORY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE PERCEIVED AS
DIFFERENT AND TREATED ACCORDINGLY BY THE
[DOMINANT] MAJORITY === AND === WHOSE
DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF RESOURCES STEMS FROM A
LACK OF INSTITUTIONALIZED POWER, DISCRIMINATORY
BARRIERS, AND DENIAL OF OPPORTUNITY.
How Do We Rank In Society?

SRATIFICATION -- THE HIERARCIAL
ARRANGEMENT OF SOCIAL STRATA == EVERY
SOCIETY CAN BE DIVIDED INTO LAYERS OR
HIERARCHIES THAT CAN BE RANKED
ACCORDING TO CERTAIN CRITERIA IN
ASCENDING OR DESCENDING ORDER. THIS
SUGGESTS THAT INEQUALITY IS NOT RANDOM
OR FLEETING, BUT IS PATTERNED AND
PREDICTABLE AND TENDS TO CLUSTER
AROUND CERTAIN DEVALUED CATEGORIES
RELATED TO RACE OR ETHNICITY.
How Are Ranks or Strata Created?

SOCIAL BARRIERS AND IMPEDIMENTS
CREATE DIFFERENTIAL ACCESS TO
OPPORTUNITIES, RESOURCES AND
REWARDS IN SOCIETY. [THEY INHIBIT
AND DISADVANTAGE SOME GROUPS
WHILE THEY FACILITATE AND
ADVANTAGE OTHERS.]
What Is The Result Of Ranking In Canadian Society?

STRUCTURED STATUS INEQUALITY:
CANADA IS A VERTICALLY
STRUCTURED ETHIC AND RACIAL
MOSAIC. ETHNIC GROUPS WIELD
VARYING DEGREES OF SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC POWER, STATUS, AND
PRESTIGE. SOME GROUPS ARE
HEAVILY REPRESENTED IN THE
UPPER STRATA OR ELITE, AND OTHER
GROUPS HEAVILY REPRESENTED IN
THE LOWER STRATA.
How Can We Measure (Tools) Ranks In Society?
THE PRIMARY SOCIAL STRATA AND CONFIGURATIONS IN SOCIETY ARE:
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION - A HIERARCHY OF POSITIONS
THAT HAVE UNEQUAL PROPERTY, POWER AND
PRESTIGE (3PS).
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS - ONE'S POSITION IN SOCIETY
BASED ON SOME COMBINATION OF EDUCATION,
INCOME AND OCCUPATION (EIO)
SOCIAL CLASS - ARE BASED ON PROPERTY RELATIONS,
AND REFER TO AN INDIVIDUALS RELATIONSHIP TO THE
MEANS OF PRODUCTION. (BOURGEOISIE &
PROLETARIAT)
ETHNO-RACIAL GROUP - ARE COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS
BASED ON SHARED CULTURAL AND/OR PHYSICAL
TRAITS.
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What Are The Major Fault-lines Of Division?

INEQUALITIES REFLECT PATTERNS OF
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION BY WHICH
SOCIETY IS DIVIDED INTO UNEQUAL
"STRATA" ALONG LINES OF CLASS, RACE
AND ETHNICITY, GENDER, AGE,
SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND
DISABILITY.
How Do Most People Identify Themselves In The
World?

TODAY ETHNO-RACIAL
STRATIFICATION IS THE KEY STATUS
SYSTEM IN SOCIETY. [MANY
SOCIOLOGISTS HAVE NOTED THE
"GLOBAL ETHNIC REVIVAL" IN
CONTEMPORARY HISTORY].
How Can We Study Social Inequality (Sociologically)?
SOCIAL INEQUALITY CAN BE STUDIED AS A SOCIAL
PROBLEM ENCOMPASSING THREE DIMENSIONS:
(1) OBJECTIVE [STRUCTURAL] CONDITIONS,
{POWER, POVERTY, AND WEALTH, OCCUPATIONS
AND EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT} (2)
IDEOLOGICAL SUPPORTS, {FORMAL LAWS,
PUBLIC POLICIES, DOMINATE VALUES, AND SO
FORTH} [[[AND (3) SOCIAL REFORMS {E.G.
ORGANIZED RESISTANCE, PROTEST GROUPS,
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS}.]]]